Jimikand - Boomi Sakkarai Kilangu

Botanical Name: Amorphophallus campanulatus
Synonyms: Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
Common name: Elephant Foot Yam
Hindi: Jimikand
Sanskrit: Suran
Tamil: Senai Kizhangu, Boomi Sakkaraikilangu
Kannada: Suvarna Gadde
Malayalam: Chena
Marathi: Suran
Gujarati: Suran
Punjabi: Jimikand
Telugu: Kanda gadda
Bengali: Ool
Urdu: Zamin kand

Description:

Elephant Foot Yam is perhaps one of the ugliest flowers in the world and to accompany it, it has one of the worst scents that you can imagine. It's hard to get close to the flower when it's releasing its smell. But the foul odor only lasts for a few hours after the flower opens. The plant only blooms when mature and even so it doesn't bloom every year. Flowers last only about 5 days. Even more interesting, during this phase the plant generates heat. The heat and the smell mimics rotting flesh to attract the flies that will pollinate the flower. Elephant yam is a striking aroid with a flower spike crowned with a bulbous maroon knob and encircled by a fleshy maroon and green-blotched bract. The solitary leaf, which emerges after the flowering parts, resembles a small tree. In India this species as a crop is grown mostly in Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa.

Medicinal uses:

The elephant-foot yam is widely used in Indian medicine and is recommended as a remedy in all three of the major Indian medcinal systems: Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The corm is prescribed for bronchitis, asthma, abdominal pain, emesis, dysentery, enlargement of spleen, piles, elephantiasis, diseases due to vitiated blood, and rheumatic swellings. Pharmacological studies have shown a variety of effects, specifically antiprotease activity, analgesic activity, and cytotoxic activity. In addition it has been found to be a potentiator for further reducing bacteria activity when used with antibiotics.

Properties:

- Corms are caustic, stomachic and tonic.

- Corms considered acrid, astringent, thermogenic, irritant, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, anti-hemorrhoidal, haemostatic, expectorant, car

- Raphide crystals on the corm, petiole and leaves produce irritation upon contact with the skin.

- Tubers are considered appetizer, antibacterial, antifungal, anodyne, aphrodisiac, antiinflammatory, antihemorrhoidal, cytotoxic, emmenagogue, hemostatic, expectorant, carminative, digestive, stomachic, anthelmintic, liver tonic, rejuvenating and tonic.

Parts utilized

Corm, roots, leaves.

Health benefits of Elephant foot yam:

- Yam is a natural remedy meant to cure Bowel movement and also aids in constipation, intestinal heat, cramps.

- It is also used as a slimming food as it is a low-fat food and lowers the cholesterol level and promotes in weight loss. In addition, it also clears the vein blockage and arterial blockage.

- Yam is rich in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and many trace metals. These metals are responsible for sharp memory and concentration power.

- Elephant’s foot yam contains carbohydrates and protein equivalent to potatoes. It provides you instant energy. Its regular consumption keeps you fit and healthy.

- Yam lowers the Insulin level thus aiding in blood sugar. Its adequate consumption lowers the diabetes.

- Yam is rich in dietary fibers thus a home for probiotic bacteria. This strengthens your digestion and boosts your immune system. 

- It has the potential to prevent colon cancer and breast cancer.

- Elephant’s foot yam regulates the secretion of estrogen thus gifting you a fit hormonal balance.

- Yam is a good anti-inflammatory agent that aids in joint pain and arthritis pain. It is also good to cure muscle spasm and inflammation.

- Yam is a good detoxifier too; it is helpful to detoxify/cleanse your body system keeping your internal organs clean. It flushes out toxins and keeps your liver, intestines and stomach free from pathogens.

- As an Ayurvedic medicine, it is helpful to cure piles and hemorrhages. The paste can also be applied on dermal problems and arthritis pain.

- It is rich in Vitamin C thus helps to cure premature aging. It slows the process of aging making your skin look blemish-free and young.